Centrifugal switch



Oct-l8, 1932. o. D. GRlFFlN 1,883,784

CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH Filed April 14. 1930 2 SheetsSheet l I I 1 H 0. a firif'f'im INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1932. 1 GRlFFlN 1,883,784

CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH Filed April 14. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 a fll @WiYZ;

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES OLIVER D. GRIFFIN, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH CENTRIFUGAL SW'IICH Application filed. April 14,

My present invention has reference to a speed signalling apparatus for any type of vehicles, and my primary object is the provision of an apparatus for this purpose which is operated by the motor of the vehicle and which will successively cause the flashing of different colored lights to indicate both to the occupant or driver of the vehicle and to others the exact speed at which the vehicle is traveling.

A further object is the provision of an apparatus of this character which while ap plicable to any type of motor propelled vehicles, either water or land, is especially adapted for use in connection with automobiles and which includes a circuit maker whose stationary contact is successively brought against other and revoluble contacts by a centrifugal governor whose spindle is connected to and operated by the motor for the vehicle, the said contacts being wired to lamp bulbs which are differently colored so that not only the driver of the vehicle will have visible indication as to the speed at which the vehicle is traveling without necessitating the consulting of the comparatively small figures on the speedometer but wherein traflic oflicers or others of authority will have like knowledge of the speed at which the vehicle is traveling.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement hereinafter described and definitely claimed, the inventi on being particularly set forth in the appended claim.

The drawings illustrate one of a number of satisfactory embodiments of the improve ment and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement with the casing in sect-ion.

Figure 2 is a sectional view approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view approximately on the line 83 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view approximately on the line 44 of Figure 1.

When the device is employed in connection with an automobile the same can be mounted 1930. Serial No. 444,233.

on the instrument board or the same can be arranged in a position so that the bulbs associated with the improvement will be arranged at one side of the vehicle, so that the bulbs will not only be visible to the driver of the machine but to traffic both ahead and to the rear of the machine and especially to traffic oiiicers and like oflicers. As the improvement is primarily designed as a warnng signal to others and the occupants of the *ehicle the device is preferably arranged so ihat its signal bulbs wil be arranged on the iide of the vehicle as last stated.

The improvement comprises a comparasmall substantially rectangular casing tiveiv 1 of any desired material, metal preferred. Arranged vertically and journaled in suitable bearings in the top and bottom of the casing 1 there is a spindle 2, and this spindle carries a governor. The centrifugal governor includes an outer pair of arms 3 which are pivoted to outstanding bosses on the spindle adjacent to the top thereof and a lower pair of arms 4: which are pivot-ed to the arms 3 and which have their outer ends pivoted to cars on a sleeve 5 which is arranged for slidable movement on the spindle 2. The sleeve carries an inwardly directed lug which is received in an elongated slot or key-way 6 in the spindle.

The sleeve 5 is provided with a circumferential groove in which there is seated the central and rounded portion 7 of a slide. The slide is preferably in the nature of a bar 8, the said bar being received through slotted vertically arranged guides 8 that are sup ported from the bottom of the casing 1.

With my improvement the ordinary speed omete may be dispensed with and then the speedometer shaft (which, of course, is rotated by the motor) may be attached directly to the lower and projecting end of the spindle. However, in instances where speedometers are employed a separate motor driven flexible shaft 9 may be employed for rotating the governor and it is obvious that the outward spreading of the arms of the governor will cause the slide 8 to move upwardly through the guides 8 while the weight of the governor of the slide and sleeve will cause the same to drop to normal position as disclosed by Figure 1 of the drawings.

The slide 8, on the end thereof which extends through one of the guides 8, is preferably formed with a lateral extension 10 that has secured on its outer face an insulator block 11 and to the outer face of this block there is fixed a metal bar 12 that has angle ends 13 directed toward one end of the casing. J ournaled in suitable bearing openings in the ends of the substantially U-shaped bar 12 there is a roller 14. The roller is in the nature of a comparatively thin cross sectionally rounded rod and is, of course, of metal. The roller provides one of the contact elements of the improvement and the U-shaped bar or mount for the roller is Wired to a suitable source of electricity, such as a battery, as diametrically disclosed by Figure 3 of the drawings.

In the casing, outward of the contact roller 14 there is fixed a substantially rectangular frame 15 which is preferably of insulated material. Fixed in the bottom and in the top of the frame 15 and extending both upwardly and downwardly therefrom there are the ends of staggeredly related metal spring plates 16, the said plates having their outer ends provided with spaced ears 17, and journaled in suitable bearing openings in the ears there are the short shafts or trunnions 18 of peripherally grooved or ribbed metal wheels 19. By reference to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the wheels are arranged in the same line but are disposed one above and one to the side of the others. The wheels with the spring mounts therefor provide the second contact elements and these contact elements are wired to lamp bulbs 20, respectively, which have their bases screwed in suitable sockets on one of the ends of the casing 1, so that the bulbs 20 are arranged on the exterior of the casing. The bulbs are differently colored and are, of course, arranged one above the other.

In operation we will say that the vehicle is traveling 30 miles an hour. The centrifugal governor will move the slide 8 upwardly so that the roller contact will engage with the notched or roughened periphery of the lower roller 19 which will complete the circuit of the battery to the lower lamp bulb 20 and illuminate such bulb. Now when the vehicle travels at a greater speed the centrifugal governor will further elevate the slide, causing the contact roller to ride off of the lower wheel 19 and onto the next wheel 19 so that the second lower bulb will be illuminated, indicating that the vehicle is traveling at say 45 miles an hour and in a like manner the arms of the governor will be further spread when the spindle 2 is more rapidly rotated so that the roller contact will be brought against the next contact wheel to illuminate the bulb wired thereto and thereafter cause the uppermost contact Wheel to cause the illumination of the bulb Wired to such wheel so that the different speeds of the vehicle will not only be displayed to the driver or occupants of the vehicle but to persons and especially to trafiic oflicers exterior of the vehicle. The device, therefore, is not only in the nature of a speed indicating apparatus but serves as a warning signal to persons exterior of the equipped vehicle and especially to motor policemen the exact speed at which the vehicle is traveling so that the driver of the vehicle can be apprehended should he exceed the speed law and likewise the device will serve to deter the speeding of the vehicle by reckless drivers and thereby will result in avoiding accidents which frequently occur from such reckless driving.

The construction of the improvement and the advantages thereof will, it is thought be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art without further detailed description. I desire to state, however, that while I have illustrated and described a simple and satisfactory embodiment of the improvement I do not wish to be restricted to the details herein set forth and, therefore, hold myself entitled to make such changes therefrom as fairly fall within the scope of what I claim.

I-Iaving described the invention, I claim:

In a circuit closer, a vertically directed revoluble spindle carrying a governor, said governor having a lower peripherally grooved sleeve which is both slidably and revolubly arranged on the spindle, a bar having a central ring portion received in the groove of the sleeve, slotted plates providing guides for the bar, said bar having one of its ends formed with a lateral head, a substantially U-shaped metal member secured to but insulated from the head, a roller ournaled in the arms of the U-shaped member, a vertical frame of insulating material adjacent the roller, spaced series of metal arms secured respectively to the top and bottom of the frame, and the upper and lower arms being of different lengths and having pairs of spaced ears on their outer ends, and peripherally grooved metal wheels having trunnions that are journaled in said ears and the periphcry of the said wheels being arranged for respective contact by the roller upon the upward and downward movement of the slide when the latter is influenced vertically by the governor.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

. OLIVER D. GRIFFIN. 

